Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1887-01-31
soss rrrrf1sr nlsrosr.
Gen. MoCic,ians piaa for Putting Down the
Rebellion Submitted to Lieut. Gen. scott
Who Did Not Give % hts Approval
colrMbrs. Ohio. Arrii Il. issl. /

ColuMBrs. Ohio. April 81. ls6l.
Liepi Gen. Wtnfeid Sooa, Commanding L. S.
Army.
GENERAL. Communications with Wash.
ington being so difficult, beg to lay before
you some views relative to this region OF
country, aud to propose for your con sideta.
ton plan OF operations intended 10 relieve
the pressure upon Washington, aud tending
to bring the war to speedy close.
The region north OF the Ohio. and between
the Mississippi aud the Alleet enies forms
one grand strategic field In which all opera.
tions must he under the control OF one head,
whether acting extensively or on the deisn.
/ sive
assume Il as the final result that hostil'.
ties will break out on the line OF the OHIO,
For two reasons 1t Is necessary to delay this
result by all political mesps for certain
period OF time.
/. To ensblo tho Eorthwe to make the re.
| quislte preparations now very incomplete.
:. That strong diversion may be ma lie In
aid of the defense Of Washington aud the
/ eastern line operations
First urging that the general government,
| should leave no means untried TO arm and
equip the Western states, l submit the fol.
/ lowing views:
say two batteries strongly intrenched and
| provided with heavy guns and q gunboat 10
| control the river.
A force OF some eish. battaIious to hs in oo-
/ setNAllOu NJ .StuuONSl tlUt Junction. VI tIC
! Ohio NMississppi and the Illipo.s Central
| railways, to observe St Louis, sustain the
garrison OF Cairo, and II necessary REINFORCE
Cincinnati.
few companies should observe the
| Wabash below Ninoennes.
| \ division ofabOut coo men 81 seymour
to observe Louisville and be ready to sup
| port Cincinnati or Cairo
A division of s. 600 men al or near CLnCin.
natl
| Two bsttaliors at or nOar Chilicothe
| Could We be provided with arms, the
Northwest has ample resources to furnish
$1,000 men for active operations, after pro.
vidins somewhat more than the troops
mentioned above for the protection OF the
| frontier.
| With the active army of operations it is
| proposed to cross the Ollo at or in the yici-
| nifty of GalIlpolis, and move up the valley
| ofthe Great kanawha on Richmond. In
| combination with this, Cumberland should
be seized, aud a few thousand men left st
| Galiipolis to cover the rear and right flank OF
the main column. The presence OF tL!s de-
tachment, aud prompt III lovsment on Louis.
| vile or the heights opposite Cincirrati,
| would efectualy prevent any interference
| on the part Of Kentucky. The movement on
Richmond should be conducted with the
utmost promp.ness, aud could not fail to re.
lieve Washington as well as to secure the
destruction of the Southern army aided by
decided advance on the eastern line
know there would be tifficultles III cross
l lux tAc uiOtA.iiio. Luk kD IftpaItu 10
| meet them.
Another plan would be, In the ev.nt Of
| Kentucky assuming q hostile position, to
cross the Ohio at Cincinnati or Louisville
| with So,Co0 meD, march straight on Nash.
vile, aud thsnce act according TO circum.
| stances.
Were battle gained before reachin. Nash
yile so that the strength Of Kentucky and
Tennessee were efiec.ually broken, q move.
ment on Montgomery, aided by q visorou.
movement on the eastern line toward Charles
} ton and Augusta, should not be delayed. The
} ulterior movements OF the combined armies
might be on Pensacola, Mobile and New
| Orleans.
1t seems clear that the forces Of The North
! | west should not remain quietly on the defeu
| sive, and that under present circumstances
a | II the supply OF arms Is such as to render Il
, | absolutely impossible to bring into the field
. the number indicated above, their offensive
movements would be most effective on the
| line frst indicated, but II 50 liberal supply
, | can be obtained a. TO enable Us to avail o
, o,oN troops for the active army, then the
Z second line OF operations must be most de
| cisive.
10 enable us 10 carry out either Of these
2 | plans 1t Is absolutely necessary that the
! general government should strain ever
: nerve 10 supply the West with arms, Rnmu
milton and equipments
Even to maintain the defensive we mus
be largely assisted.
/ beg to urge upon you that We are vers
/
ulstion eager TO light are rendered powerless
Q | by want OF arms the no,ion being thus dc
4 | prived OF th6ir aid. ! have the honor to be
q | general, very respectfully yours,
GEO B. McCLELLAS,
Msio General Commanding O. V,
| Remarks OF General Scott the Foregoing
Propositions.
l. AS at the date OF this letter Gen. Mo
, Clellan knew nothing OF the attended cal
| Tor two years volunteers, he must have hac
the idea Of composing his enormous columns
| OF three months men for operating agains
! Nashville and Richmond. that Ia, OF met
8 whose term OF service would expire by th
9 | time be had collected and organized them
! | That such was his Idea appears from a prio
letter, IN which, although the Ohio quota i
, but about ten thousand men, the genera
speaks, think, OF having thirty thousand
! and wants srus, &c, &c, &c, fox eight,
Q | thousand.
3 2. A march upon Richmond from the Obi
/. would probably insure the revolt OF Western
| Virginia. which, II left alone, will soon be
i've out OF seven, for the Unicn.
D. The general eschews water transporta
ton by the Ohio and Mississippi IN favor o
r long, tedious, aud breakdown (of men
4 | horses, and wsgons) marches,
r 4. His plan is to subtns the seeded state
. by piecemeal instead Of enveloping them al
(neariy) at once by g Gordon OF posts on tn
Mississippi, to its mouth from Its junction
3 with the Ohio and by blockadng ships Q
war on the seaboard. For the Gordon a mum
r ber OF men equal to one of the generals col
umns $50 000) would probably suffice AM
. | the transportation OF men and all supplies b.
: water Is about fifth Of the land COST, beside
the immense saving in time. Respectful,
submitted TO the president
a MAY ?, 1851.
| Endorsement On the Hack